Under Fire
by mvdiva
Summary: Sabe struggles to understand a nightmare that is becoming more and real...
1. Default Chapter

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Under Fire

As usual, all rights belong to George Lucas and his crew over yonder horizon. I'm not getting any profits (or sudden ideas, for that matter) for this story. Please review and let me know what you think. Chapters will follow as soon as I figure out where I'm going with this. Thanks.

Chapter 1

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She pounded down the hall, heartbeat throbbing in her ears. The blaster in her hand was slick with sweat, and she feinted, avoiding a shot that crackled past her left ear. Coughing, eyes watering, she continued to run, knowing that giving into her legs' cries to stop would mean death. 

Screams of pain and fury echoed in the hallway, and suddenly, the door she was searching for passed her by. She skidded, backpedaled, and slapped the palm entry, skidding inside ahead of her pursuer. 

The lock closed with a comforting solid thud, and she slumped against the wall, heaving great lungfuls of air. One of the shots had found its mark, searing through her right sleeve and into the flesh of her bicep. Where were her guards? Were they dead already? __

Holding the blaster was a sudden agony, and she unwillingly switched it to her left hand. Looking around the room, she noted the familiar clutter of items on her desk. Wait, "her" desk? Blinking suddenly, she rubbed her face, and winced, having temporarily forgotten her wounded arm. 

This wasn't right. She didn't have an office. Especially not an office this luxurious. "How is this mine?" She asked herself. There were no guards to protect her…wasn't she a guard herself? Before she could sort out the –wrongness- of the room, the reinforced door blew in from the force of a thermal detonator, and she only had enough time to put her hands up before-

Sabé sat up quickly in bed, still reflexively crossing her forearms in front of her face. Shuddering, she tried to slow her breathing, and pushed her sleep-tangled hair out of her face. The simple nightgown clung to her back as she pushed aside her bedcovers and swung her feet over the side. 

Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she whimpered softly to herself, "_Only a dream. Only a dream…"_ Rubbing the phantom pain in her right arm, she could still hear the echo of blaster fire, even in the quiet room she shared with Rabé. 

Judging from the darkness of the room, Sabé guessed that it was still quite early in the morning, but she knew she wouldn't be able to fall asleep again. Sighing, she stood, shuffling over to the chair where her robe was draped. Careful not to disturb the other softly snoring handmaiden, she slipped through the door to their bedchamber and into the main corridor of the silent Nubian palace. 


	2. Early Morning Explanations

This is your pilot speaking: I actually got a few reviews on this story! Since a few have reviewed the beginning and seemed to enjoy it, I thought I'd continue and see if I can hook anyone else. There actually will be a few chapters, which, if you know me, is somewhat unusual. Let's just say that this one's been around the block a few times, and I think I finally know where it's going. Thanks for the feedback, and enjoy your flight.

**Disclaimer:** **As always, all characters belong to the creative mind of George Lucas. I just stole them off the shelf for a few minutes so I can play with all the cool new toys.** Oh yeah, has anyone seen that movie…uh, what was it called again…Attack of the Clones?

Chapter Two: Early Morning Musings

            Sabé was careful to be quiet as she descended the stairs to the palace's private kitchen. Nearing the bottom, she was met with a slight glow from the kitchen's overhead light on the wine-colored carpet. Curious as to who would be up at this time of night, she paused, peeking quietly around the corner. 

            Another girl sat facing away from her, long brown hair flowing freely down her back. There was no movement from the small figure, and Sabé was surprised to see the large stack of files piled on the table. Ever wary, she entered the room, padding softly on her bare feet.

            "I'm awake you know…you don't have to tiptoe around like I'm a newborn." Padmé turned to her, smirking. "I…I'm sorry, m'lady." Sabé managed. "Don't be." The other girl motioned to for her to have a seat, and Sabé sank down, grateful that it had not been any of the other handmaidens to greet her. "Jaffa?" Sabé looked up, and nodded. The queen passed her a cup and smiled as she poured the steaming, fragrant liquid for her friend. 

            Free from her court makeup and wrapped in a loose nightgown herself, Padmé Amidala was still stunning. She idly curled a few strands of hair around an elegant finger as she finished reading the end of a long report. Sabé sat silently, sipping her jaffa carefully and trying to wash away the remnants of her dream with the comfort of familiar surroundings. 

            "Couldn't sleep?" The words, softly spoken, drew Sabé away from phantom images of fire; her beautiful planet ripped to shreds by yet another bloodthirsty group eager for power. She almost snorted into her cup. Not being able to sleep was the least of her worries these days., with all the preparations for Amidala's retirement resting mostly on her shoulders. Setting the fragile cup down, Sabé nodded. "You could say that." 

            Looking up, she met her friend's worried chocolate-brown eyes. Shrugging, she firmly moved her eyes back to the rings of moisture on the table where her cup had been. Drawing the water around into familiar shapes kept her mind off the conversation until a loud throat clearing from across the table startled her. 

            Frowning, the queen raised an eyebrow, inviting her to spill everything. Determinedly, Sabé shook her head. There was no need to trouble her queen and best friend with her unimportant dreams. It was all due to stress any-"Well? Sabé, tell me why you cry out in your sleep. Explain to me why Rabé has rings under her eyes from sleeplessness every morning, and why you are always either moping around or snapping at everyone in the vicinity."

            Horrified that others had taken notice, Sabé opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out. Not a single sentence in explanation for her errant behavior came to mind, and she stared at the girl who so closely mirrored herself with her mouth hanging open. Finally, she spread her hands. _I hope she can believe me._ Sabé thought to herself. "I don't know, my lady." At first she wondered if she had imagined it, but no, Amidala's eyebrow had gone up even higher, almost disappearing into her hairline.

            At last, she sighed, and the eyebrow returned to its normal position on her forehead. Pushing aside her cup and scattering several pencil files, Padmé leaned across the table and took her friend's hands into her own. Sabé's startled look made her smile again, and she pushed it away with a sigh. "I can't have my head handmaiden at anything less than her best," Her friend's hands tightened in response to the disguised reprimand. "Especially if those dreams of hers are the result of anything her queen has done to her." 

            Sabé pulled back, and resumed her exploration of the tabletop. "It's not that." She said, after several moments of silence. "The drills and training have helped make me the best, to protect you…because it's my job." Padmé reached for her cup, taking a sip of the now cold brew, and put it aside with a grimace. "But the dreams…" Sabé held her hands out in front of herself, noting that they shook slightly. She looked up at her friend, whose eyes met her own with compassion and concern. "The dreams are nothing like I've ever experienced before. It's like…like I'm actually living them. I can hear all the sounds as clearly as if they were right beside me. The screams and blaster fire echoes in my head, and I try to fight, but I can only run." She paused. "Only, it isn't me that's running away from the death all around me." 

            At Amidala's nod, she went on. "The dreams…they're about you."

Eh? Shall I continue? Let me know.


End file.
